Battery of dry cells and process of assembling the same



sept'. 16;, 1924.

C. S. RIDER 'ET AL BATTERY 0F `DRY CELLS AND PROCESS 0F ASSEMBLING THE SAME Filed March 1l, 1922 I I .I

Y ol'l'o this end, asiliovl a speci eectrode been evlsed Yt.ive of a Plein-red unbodimen't Pmaasepuaim.'

UNITED srA'rEs PATENT oFFicE.

'om anavms non, or Lame,

unison, wisconsin, assumons ronarron or lmw xonx.

IICHIQAN, AND ALTO! HUXTLEY, OF TO NATIONAL CARBON QOIPANY, IIC., A ('IOIBf :armaron nnrcnmsmorassmnmemsami.

` appunti-n nea :una 11, im. semi n. sums, l

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we Cani. SmvnuNs Ruins and Aurox KARL immer, citizens of the United States, residing at Lansing and Madison, respectively, in the counties of Ingham and Dane and States of Michigan and Wisconsin, have, invented certain new and useful Imirovements in Batteries of Dry Cells and r of Assembling the Same, .of which the following is a Speciiication.

This invention relates to d cells of the flat type, and has particular re erence to imprlovements in batteries composed of such ce s.

It has heretofore been proposed to pack into a container a plurality of cells having flat exterior surfaces and a contour conform-- ing to the shape of the container. IThis construction is advantageous for a number of reasons, among which. is the compactness of the battery, resulting in a materially greater service` capacity, for unit volume, than is obtainable from' batteries of cylin drical cells. Also, the' efectivo electrod area of the component dit cells is greater, and the interna ce less, than that cells having the same cubic content. 'lhe present invention has for its object improvements in means andmethods for obtaining' these and other advantagesy of .flat cell batteries.

aembly, in-

Y structure, has The electrodegcomprises a metal plate coated with a non-corrodible,

conducting'cn'position elaltraxnu 've to theuuetal.Y Whenthe improved f. l: into formation, the coated e serves as anode and cathode. This feats a marked'smplilication in construction and economizes space. In addition, the highly ecient contact between the adharmt portions of the electrode, togather withthe other features to be de'- inmrea the production of a maximnnamountofserviceforagivencubic contada.

In the accompanying drawings, illudzra of *heln- 'Figlia'mendelavationof-abatterybox, Y wing Interior pai-lain outline,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line II-II, Filg. 1, and

ig. 3 is a. top lan view of the box, with the cover removed).

Reference numeral 1 denotes a battery box of insulating material, or of metal lined with an insulating compound. The assembly of the cells, in the box is preferably carried out as follows: The box is placed on end with an open side 2 facing the -opzinc or other suitab inetal is'laid in' the box and lis provide with a connector-joining the plate to binding post 4. Mix cake 5, having a bibulous Wrapper 6, is placed upon plate 3. The mix may contain any suitable amount of moisture and electrol te salts, and the lining may be pasted, bot according to known, practice. Mix cake 5 is of somewhat smaller dimensions than the plate 3 and isicentered on the plate.

An electrode comprising a metal plate 7 coated on one side with a conductive maf terial 8, is next added, its coated side resting upon the mix cake. area of the coated electrode is substantially the same as that of zinc plate 3, and the twolelements are in vertical alinement. Y

The comgosite electrode 7, 8, is preferably prepared y coating zinc or other sheet metal on one surface vgith a phite-containing plastic'adapted'tc hargi upon the erator, as shown iicieig. 3. A plate 3 of metal, An suitable conductive, corrosion y resisting substance may be used and applied l to the metal Vby rolling, pressing, or the like.

The follo Y coating composition is given by way ci example:

170 parts resin,

parts boiled linseed oil,

300 parts graphite (passed through 30 mesh screen), z.

parts graphitejg (paed through 100` mesh screen). Y I

These ingredients are melted and thoroughly mixed. 'lhe hot mixture 1s spr'ead on the sheet metal, and the metal is then quate to theL metal base of the electrode an such a lafver is preferred.

Other methods o forming the conductive .may be adoptedj such as forcing passed heated iron rolls. The thi of eplastic maybevariedas desired, but a relatively thin layer imade- 'spraying the suspension on the metal.v Y L A wrapped mix. cake 1s placed upon theI coated electrode 7, 8. Mix `cakes and electrodes are added alternately until the box is filled. The last electrode 7 is preferably coated also on the side adjacent the box, and is provided with a connector leading to binding post 9.

. Wedges 10, K11, are then adjusted so-as to press the cells to ether and to hold their parts' in assemble vposition when the box is set upright to receive a plastic insulating material 12. f

This is preferabl pitch .or similar substance. It is poure or forced into the box in such amount Las substantially to fill it, and that portionof the plastic which surrounds the cakes is rapidlyy solidified 1b immersing the box in vcool water. The plastic Vabove the niix cakes Iis less rapidly cooled andais poured 01T as soon as that beneath' it is sulicientl7 hardened. vIn this manner air spaces `12 are formed between the projecting ends of electrodes 7, 8.4 The mix cakes are vented into the air spaces by perforating the plastic layer which may remainfontheir upper ends. Other insulatin materials than pitch lmay be used, providing they are not penetrable by electrolyte and are capable of making a waterproof joint with the electrodes.

The battery is completedv by placing `a cardboardy heet 13) over the cells and sealing with plastic 14, in the usual manner.

It will be seen that the coated electrodes 7, 8, have a triple function, serving as anode for one cell, cathode for another, and series.

connection between the two cells. The simplicity and eilicency of this construction is evident. A further novel and advantageous v` feature of the battery described is the em- Thls prevents crumbling beddin and e of the mix'cakes in an insulating ectrolyt'e-proof sealing compound. i and obviates all danger ofishort circuiting between the several cells. Y

Single cells comprising a coated metal electrode like .that herein described, and certain battery constructions analogous to that which we have invented, are described y and claimed -in the application of R. C.

Benner, Serial No.. 534,5()9 led of 'March We claim:l i 1. In a' battery, a plurality f @11s having moese? depolarizers and unitary electrode structuresv comprising electrically connected parts of ldiverse polarity, which serve respectively as said element having a graphitic part serving as cathode for one cell and a metallic part serving as anode for another.

3. The invention described in claim 1, in which means are provided for compressing the cells.

4. A dry cell battery comprising a casmg, a plurality'of Hat cells in juxtaposition and havingdepolarizers spaced from the casing and an insulating material in whichfthe depolarizers are embedded.

5. A dry cell battery comprisinga casing,

a zinc plate 'at one end of the casmg, a mix cake having a bibulous wrapping adjacent the zinc plate, a unitary vvelement comprising a metal plate and a non-corrodible, conductive coating adherent thereto, the coating being in contact with a side of the mix cake and the metal plate in contact with a1 side of a second wrappedl mix cake, and additional coated elements and mix cakes alter-v lnately until the desired number uf cells is 1 obtained.

.'6. A process of assembling a battery of dry cells, comprising inserting a plurality 'ofcells in a'casing, securing said cells in .the casing in spaced relation thereto, and

supplying an insulating compound between parts of the cells and the casing.

7. AA process of assembling a. battery of dry cells, comprising inserting a plurality of cells in a casin securing said cells in. .l

the casing in space relation thereto, filling.

an insulating compound rendered lluent by heat into the casing, cooling the compound to solidify it about the cells only, and pouring oii the remaining fluent' compound 'tov form air spaces at the tops of the cells.

8. A process of assembling dry'cells to form a battery, comprising placing lelectrodes in Ya casing, operatively arranglngdepolarizing mix and electrolyte with respect to the electrodes and in spaced relation to the casing, and filling an insulating plastic compound into tlre spaces about the mix and electrolyte.

tures.

' i CARL SEAVERNS RIDER. ALTON KARL HUNTLEY.

In testimony whereof,we ailix our signa# 

